Nigerian filmmaker Funke Akindele has responded sharply to comments by fellow director Kunle Afolayan on the growing pressures of promoting films for theatrical release, urging individual brilliance.
Afolayan, speaking at the Lagos Business of Film Summit, criticised what he described as an exhausting and unsustainable promotional culture that now dominates the industry. He said the constant demand for skits, costume changes and social media content was a major reason he scaled back cinema releases, despite his role in the revival of Nigeria’s film exhibition space.
Using Akindele as an example, Afolayan remarked that he could not keep up with the pace of promotional activities required to market films today, adding that he preferred alternative strategies that would not drain filmmakers creatively or physically.
In response, Akindele took to her Instagram stories to challenge his position, encouraging filmmakers to adapt rather than retreat. She argued that creatives are free to design their own promotional models and should not feel constrained by one approach.
“If you can’t beat them or join them, create your own path. No allow jealousy burn you. The sky is so big for everybody to fly. Go ahead and create alternative promotion or marketing strategies for promoting your business, or hire a company to handle it,” she wrote.
Akindele said she remains committed to her personal marketing style and believes strongly in God’s plan for her career. She stressed that the entertainment industry offers vast opportunities and that success does not depend on copying another person’s method.
Mixing Yorùbá and English, she dismissed suggestions that she was responsible for anyone’s professional struggles, urging filmmakers to chart their own paths, develop alternative promotional strategies or engage marketing professionals where necessary.
According to her, the creative space is large enough for everyone to thrive, insisting that focus, innovation and self-belief are key to long-term success in the industry
‘Create your own path’ — Akindele replies Afolayan over film promotion culture
